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Sunday, 21 November 2010

Help Joao Silva

Joao Silva. Photo by Jerome Delay/Associated Press

Joao Silva, photographer, of the famous Bang Bang Club, born in Portugal, based in South Africa, currently with The New York Times, was severely wounded in Afghanistan this past October 23rd when a land mine blew off both his legs and caused numerous additional injuries, several serious. Friends have set up a support page to help Joao defray the many expenses he and his family will incur during his recovery. You can purchase a print, contribute a donation, or simply send a message of support if you'd like to help.

Please help support TOP by using our links to B&H Photo and Amazon! Many thanks.

Note: Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. More...Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by Craig Arnold: "This is terrible news.

"My wife (then girlfriend) worked with him for a few months back in the late 1980s as he was just really starting to build his reputation working on a local newspaper The Alberton Record; Alberton being a town just south of Johannesburg.

"I remember her coming back from some shoots with him where he went into the townships in their big silver staff car—a Colt (now Mitsubishi) Galant. They called it the silver bullet. She did much of the driving whilst he would shoot out of the window. They were certainly skirting if not outright breaking the law by going into places they were not supposed to. I remember being very worried that she was putting herself into such danger, and in fact she still has a pile of prints from some of those shoots, mostly taken by him, but a few that she took.

"He encouraged her to become a photojournalist too saying that she had a very good eye. Which is absolutely true, but she really wanted follow her passion and ambition to become a film editor, which I am very proud to say she did achieve. I must say though I'm very glad she didn't attempt to follow his rising star as a photojournalist in terminal days of Apartheid.

"Memory being the unreliable thing that it is, I cannot now recall whether I ever met him. I think probably not, but she used to talk about his energy and dynamism and utter fearlessness.

"We have always looked out for his pictures and admired his success and brilliance. And of course his numerous well-deserved awards."

Done. Also purchased one of the marsh Arab photos. I'd seen them before in the Times. There is something in them that reminds me of the pictures of Nuri Bilge Ceylan that TOP highlighted some time ago. Anyway, best wishes to Mr. Silva.

Done. Another one for the Arab Marsh. I don't believe my wife would allow me to hang anything more military.
Thanks Mike for the link and all the best to Mr. Silva. I hope he manages to reinvent himself.

I'm extremely saddened by the news. I met him in Bosnia and worked with him over the phone when I would fill in on the NYT Foreign Photo desk. He was always easy to work with and usually way ahead of the story by the time I called. A real pro. I wish him and his family my very best in this tough time. They will be in my thoughts daily.

As I have both much to be thankful for AND the available funds to participate, I've ordered another Marsh Arab print. All the best, and a speedy recovery to Joao and family!

I have followed the plight of the Marsh Arabs, and of the Mesopatamian Marshes themelves, since the early '80s. I have also been following, with great interest, the current efforts to restore the marshes and to make them a national park and even an ecotourism destination. To me, Joao's photo symbolizes the renewal and rebirth of the marshes, the Marsh Arabs, and even of Iraq itself. Looking at that image gives me hope.

This is a tough blow for the guy. The physical injuries are bad enough but the mental injuries that will follow could be even harder to bear. Its very difficult for someone in such an active job to begin again by sitting at a desk.
Maybe he will get work as a picture editor.